Why This, Why You, Why Now?

Writers sometimes sigh wearily when questioned ‘why’ by execs. It’s become a bit of a cliché or a frustrated punchline. But that generally favours the response to the ‘why now’ part. The first two questions – why this, why you? – are actually much more pertinent and deserve more of a deep dive.

For me, it started with the New Zealand rugby team, the famed All Blacks (Kiwis). Growing up in Ireland in the 80s, and a fan of rugby, I was astonished by (and envious of) the Kiwis’ skill and stamina. No matter how plucky the Irish team would be to counter the All Blacks’ strength, the Kiwis would always find a way to win. I became obsessed: how did they do this? How were they consistently better than everyone else? Dan Carter, a legendary player for New Zealand, recently revealed their secret (in his book, The Art of Winning). It wasn’t ‘how’. It was ‘why’.

Whakapapa. It’s a Māori term that defines an individual’s core values, and how that ties in with their nation’s cultural traditions. The All Blacks’ performance of the haka before every game embodies this spirit. So, New Zealand’s WHY is distilled into their whakapapa: purpose, passion, conviction, connection. And it pays off on the pitch in dazzling form.

(Japanese culture has a similar term for discovering your ‘why’: ikigai. It’s a reason for being, your purpose in life, broken down across four headings: what you love, what you’re good at, what the world needs, and what can earn you money. The central intersection of these headings lies your ikigai.)

In terms of writing, and creating/sharing new work, having a WHY has always been a vital part of the process. But perhaps not much talked about or shared. However, now, more than ever, we should wear it openly on our creative sleeves. This hit home for me last week when I chatted to an industry pro. He shared his recent experience of pitching/developing work, and the all-important factor that he’s learned to address first: WHY. Why this project is special. Why this is so important to him. Why it will resonate with audiences. Why, indeed, now.

Hearing him saying it aloud made me realise I’d been silently holding on to my reasons why. Not thinking to share my sense of purpose or passion about my own work beyond the obvious appeal of the premise and story. But a sense of why, and meaningful purpose, is essential to what I do, so I should talk about it more, regardless of any embarrassing introspection it may expose.

As an example, I’ve just completed a spec romcom script. It’s called Wishful Thinking. Here’s the pitch: an uptight astronomer’s impulsive wish on a shooting star backfires when the star crashes to Earth, upending her life with festive chaos, two rival suitors, and one big cosmic ‘maybe’.

Now here’s my WHY: I’ve always been fascinated by the tension between fate, luck, and coincidence – the way the universe sometimes seems to answer when we take a leap. The most defining moments of my life have come from trusting that instinct, making a risky choice, and discovering rewards I couldn’t have planned for. After directing three romcoms, I was keen to create my own – something that celebrates the joy and comfort of the genre while adding a fresh spin. Wishful Thinking lets me playfully explore fate versus logic, science versus intuition, and the magic of daring to say ‘maybe’.